The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lagerstroemia of hybrid origin. The new Lagerstroemia will hereafter be referred to by its cultivar name, ‘PIILAG-IX’. ‘PIILAG-IX’ is a new cultivar of crape myrtle grown for use as an ornamental landscape plant.
The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Watkinsville, Ga. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new cultivar of crape myrtle with an intermediate plant habit, dark foliage and red flowers.
‘PIILAG-IX’ arose from a cross made in 2012 between Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘PIILAG-V’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,925) as the female parent and Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘PIILAG-VI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,183) as the male parent. ‘PIILAG-IX’ was selected as a single unique plant in 2014 from amongst the seedlings derived from the above cross.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by semi-hardwood stem cuttings by one of the Inventors in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2014. Asexual propagation by semi-hardwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.